ALEC Posts Library Of Pre-Written Legislation
AFP / Getty Images
Actor Alec Guinness. This isn't the Alec you're looking for.
Depending on your viewpoint, the American Legislative Exchange Council is either a forum for lawmakers to discuss conservative-minded legislation or a secretive organization leading the charge to privatize public education.
But the group is a little less secretive Friday after posting hundreds of pieces of “model legislation” online. The bills are templates lawmakers can adapt in order to pass legislation in their home states.
“At its core, democracy is a participatory process where ideas are shared and the best ideas are advanced,” Ron Scheberle, ALEC’s executive director said in a press release. “The Council and its task forces provide a unique opportunity for legislators to learn from their counterparts from around the country.”
In the past the group has supported stand your ground legislation which allows citizens to defend themselves using deadly force. ALEC’s support of the legislation was criticized following the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin in Sanford. Florida’s law was one reason the shooter, George Zimmerman, was not initially charged in his death. (Zimmerman has since waived his right to a hearing using the stand your ground defense.)
The group is also a supporter of the parent trigger, which allows a majority of parents at a failing school to vote on how to restructure the school. Options include turning the school over to a for-profit charter school management firm, closing the school or replacing the principal, staff or both.
The ALEC site has tagged bills according to their subject. Education-related tags include: Accountability, Charter Schools, Curriculum, Digital Learning, Education, Education Reform, Education Savings Account, Environmental Literacy, Higher Education, K-12, Military Family Scholarship, Online Learning, Parent Trigger, Parental Choice, Pension Reform, Procurement, School Choice, School Tax Credit, Science, Student Protection, Teacher Certification, Teacher Evaluations, Teacher Quality, Teachers, and Workers’ Compensation.
Access the full list of model legislation here.
See anything in those bills that jumps out at you? Let us know in the comments.
